Graham honored at Tri-Peaks banquetPARIS — Russellville Advertising and Promotions (A&P) Director Christie Graham was honored with the Charlie Johnson Tourism Award during the Arkansas River Valley Tri-Peaks Tourism Annual Membership Banquet Awards Celebration and Banquet Tuesday at the Paris Community Center. The 28th annual tourism award was given to Graham in honor of Charlie Johnson, who owned Booger Hollow Trading Post on State Highway 7. "He was a pioneer in spearheading ...

Road Department recycling position receives salary raiseA change in classification and pay scale for a clerical and recycle position at the Pope County Road Department was approved by the Pope County Quorum Court during its three-part meeting Tuesday at the courthouse. Judge Jim Ed Gibson requested the change in pay scale because of extra duties being assigned to the position in accordance with the county's recycling program. "What I'd like to do is change that to the same pay as a chief deputy. Ri...

Bond hearings (March 6, 2015)The following individual appeared during felony bond hearings Friday at the Pope County Detention Center. His name, age, anticipated charge and bond amount is listed. If charged, he will appear April 6 in Pope County Circuit Court. • Terry Linker, 56, domestic battery — $20,000. The Pope County Sheriff's Office responded to a home in London on Wednesday where Linker committed domestic battery on a woman, according to a police report. Linker re...

164 early vote in Dover millage electionMore than 160 Dover residents voted early this week in the special election concerning a 3.2-mill increase to help fund a middle school construction project. The election is the Dover School District's third and final try at the millage increase, which will fund a middle school that consists of 26 new classrooms, 10 renovated technology-ready classrooms, a safe room rated for an EF-4 tornado and a physical education center. Voters turned down ...

Man succumbs to icy I-40 accidentPOTTSVILLE — A Lawrenceville, Ga., man who was injured on an icy Interstate 40 on Wednesday succumbed to his injuries at Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center. At 5:11 p.m. Wednesday near mile marker 88, a 2002 Toyota driven by Samuel Sippo, 41, lost control, ran off the left side of the road and collided with the barrier cable, according to a fatal accident report from the Arkansas State Police. The vehicle rotated back onto the roadway into t...

March storm brings snow, sleet to River ValleyWinter weather made another visit to the River Valley on Wednesday, closed schools and made area roadways hazardous. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), roughly 4 inches of snow and sleet were measured at the Russellville reporting station. The River Valley saw mostly rain for much of the day Wednesday as temperatures hovered in the low to mid-40s until late afternoon. Russellville reported a rainfall total of 0.76 inches as of 3 ...

Art talk, chances for custom painting at Art Walk tonightThe beat of Cuban music will be wafting out the doors of C&D Drug Store in historic downtown Russellville during the Art Walk, scheduled from 5-8 p.m. tonight. The public is invited to visit with local artist Jeannie Stone about her upcoming trip to Cuba, drink some fruity concoctions, admire art and have some fun. Stone is a Latina artist, who has lived in Arkansas 50 years. She will show several pieces of art and will offer chances to win an...

Wilkins, Westcott elected to Russellville Board of AdjustmentRussellville Planning Commissioners Mike Wilkins and Eric Westcott were elected to serve on the Board of Adjustment for concurrent six-year terms during the commission’s meeting Monday at City Hall. Westcott’s term on both groups will end on Dec. 31, 2015, while Wilkins’ term will end on Dec. 31, 2019. In addition to electing members to the Board of Adjustment, the Planning Commission elected its 2015 officers. Dennis Boyd was elected to remai...

Crematorium hearing set for April 2The director of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) has rescheduled a public hearing for comments on a proposed crematorium near Center Valley Elementary School for April 2 in Russellville. Becky Keogh announced on the ADEQ’s website Wednesday that the public hearing will begin at 6 p.m. April 2 inside Russellville City Hall. The meeting was rescheduled after it was postponed Feb. 17 due to inclement weather. The public wil...

Circuit clerk's office denied new positionPope County Circuit Clerk Diane Willcutt’s request to create a new position from a past vacancy died from lack of a motion Tuesday during the Quorum Court’s three-part meeting at the courthouse. Willcutt said the vacancy was created nearly three years ago. “This vacancy was when Dana Baker worked for the circuit clerk’s office and she got elected as assessor, so that left a vacancy in the circuit clerk’s office that we have done without up unt...

Floyd, Ward pre-trial hearings rescheduledDANVILLE — The pre-trial hearings for Brooke Floyd and Samuel Lee Ward scheduled for Thursday were postponed when the Yell County Circuit Court closed because of inclement weather. The trials have been rescheduled for March 19, according to the Yell County Circuit Clerk’s office. Floyd, 21, was charged with manslaughter in the July death of her 10-month-old son, Harper. She is currently out on a $50,000 bond. Floyd’s manslaughter trial was sch...

News Briefs (March 6, 2015)The Red Barn closed tonight The Red Barn will not be open tonight due to inclement weather. It is scheduled to open on Friday, March 20. After Prom meeting set for Sunday The Russellville High School After Prom Committee will meet at 7 p.m. on Sunday in the RHS Commons. AARP Tax-Aide program available AARP Tax-Aide volunteers are providing free assistance with federal and state income tax returns at the Hughes Center, located at 1000 E. Parkwa...

Personnel Committee wants to talk it overOne day after the Russellville City Council’s Finance Committee voted to recommend Van Horn Construction as manager of the aquatic center project, the city’s Personnel Committee said not so fast. Personnel Committee members voted 3-0 Thursday inside City Hall to review proposals from five construction companies, three of which are local. However, Alderman and Finance Committee Chairman Mark Tripp said Friday that Resolution No. 1446, which was...

Computers 4 Kids grants technology to River ValleyArkansas River Valley students without home computer access will be granted with their own personal desktops courtesy of Computers 4 Kids. Computers 4 Kids is a collaboration between Connect Arkansas and eSCO Process and Recycling to provide refurbished, Internet-ready computers to students who do not have computer access at home. To participate in the Computers 4 Kids program, students must also participate in the state free and reduced lunch...

Dover marshal announces retirementDOVER — City Marshal Rodney Pfeifer announced his impending retirement from the force at Tuesday night’s Dover City Council meeting. Pfeifer, who started as a part-time patrol officer in 1990, went to full-time status in 1993 and was named chief in 1995, said he anticipated April 10 would be his last day on the job. “I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve had a good time,” Pfeifer said. “I’ve loved the city of Dover and the people I’ve worked with. “I think al...

Public hearing set for machine shop on North El PasoA petition has been filed requesting a Special Use Permit to allow a machine shop for property located at 508 N. El Paso Ave. in Russellville. The Russellville Planning Commission will hold a public hearing concerning the petition at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, March 23, at City Hall Council Chambers.

PCSO to add two vehiclesThe Pope County Quorum Court approved the purchase of two patrol vehicles for the Pope County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) during its meeting Tuesday at the courthouse. The two vehicles were dropped from the 2015 proposed budget to ensure its passing. The Quorum Court approved the purchase of two Ford Taurus police vehicles for $51,530.88 as proposed by Sheriff Shane Jones. “As you can recall, to pass the 2015 budget, I asked for six [vehicles] ear...

Bond hearings (March 4, 2015)The following individuals appeared during felony bond hearings Wednesday at the Pope County Detention Center. Their names, ages, anticipated charges and bond amounts are listed. If charged, they will appear April 6 at Pope County Circuit Court. • Travis White, 32, possession of a controlled substance with the purpose to deliver — $25,000. At around 2 p.m. Tuesday, a Russellville Police Department (RPD) officer pulled White over for a routine t...

Bodies sent to State Crime LabPope County Sheriff Shane Jones said Wednesday two deceased individuals found in a residence on Double Springs Road on Crow Mountain have been sent to the State Crime Lab in Little Rock as part of the ongoing investigation. Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the residence at 11:16 a.m. Tuesday in regards to a male and female who were found deceased and exhibited apparent gunshot wounds. Jones said in a press release the deaths are being inv...

Court tables PCLS raisesAn appeal for raises for Pope County Library System (PCLS) employees was tabled Tuesday during the Pope County Quorum Court’s three-part meeting at the courthouse. Library Director Shawn Pierce requested a 2 percent raise for the library’s part-time employees to compensate for a raise they did not receive in 2012, she said. “I started Jan. 3, and I believe those [salary increases] started Jan. 1, so our employees didn’t receive a raise during ...